Chapter 243
Okay, here is the English translation of the provided text:
This is the outcome of the letter Esmeralda sent to her father to inform him of Rainy Devil's current situation and their own actions, while Libertà and the others were right in the middle of their training in the spirit world.
A letter from a spirit.Hearing those words, one might expect a development straight out of a picture book.
In this world, the existence of spirits is recognized and treated as special.
"So, a disaster-class monster appeared in Maderuta and they got caught up in it?""Under normal circumstances, we would have been mobilizing troops in a panic, but hearing that Libertà is with them somehow makes me feel like it will be alright."
Recalling the time they received that letter, the two looked at each other and smiled wryly.
The time was slightly earlier.It was a laugh born from remembering the time before they received this letter.
A spirit descended upon the Duke's estate, paying no mind to the guards and heading straight for the Duke, who was in the middle of his work, and his attendant, Lotus. Seeing a being that shouldn't normally exist, one they should have no connection with, both the Duke and Lotus could only stare wide-eyed in surprise.
'Duke-san?'"Ah, ah."'Umm, a letter for you!!'"I see."'I delivered it properly, so please sign here!!'"Right."
Pure and innocent.Faced with a spirit who had come with a sense of helpfulness, utterly devoid of malice, even the Duke, who was accustomed to the constant scheming among nobles, obediently accepted the letter, signed for its receipt, and handed it back to the spirit. She smiled brightly.
'Bye-bye!'
She waved her hand and vanished into thin air.For a moment, he wondered if it was an illusion or fatigue from overwork, but the Duke's hand held a clearly sealed letter.
"Lotus, this letter appears to be from Esmeralda.""Yes, that seal is undoubtedly the young lady's."
Not an illusion, but reality.Accepting that, the Duke quietly took a letter opener from his desk drawer and broke the seal.
Which brings us back to the beginning.
"Rainy Devil... It's shocking that a monster said to bring ruin to nations has appeared, but training in the spirit world...? Being with that guy really brings one surprise after another."
The Duke smiled wryly at himself for being surprised yet accepting the contents of the letter Esmeralda had prepared and asked a spirit to deliver. Normally he would grasp the contents in one read, but he checked it three times before handing it to Lotus.
"Quite. Who knows how much this has shortened my lifespan.""It's still too early for you to retire.""Indeed. I'd like to stay healthy at least until Lady Esmeralda and Lady Iris produce heirs.""...Esmeralda is one thing, but Iris, well."
The spirit world is an otherworldly realm spoken of in legends.Normally, merely declaring one's intent to go there would be enough material for tavern tales, a existence like a fairy tale.
But when a spirit actually brings a letter and your own daughter says she's there training, there's no room for doubt.
He should have had a reputation for being unflappable, but lately the Duke felt he was constantly being led around by a certain boy, though he didn't necessarily find this atmosphere unpleasant.
"Given the current situation of being under the scrutiny of 'that snake,' finding a fiancé is difficult.""Hmph, any man who would be cowed by someone of that caliber is someone we'd refuse anyway."
Currently, the pressing worry seemed to be the lack of a fiancé for his younger daughter, Iris.
For a noblewoman her age, having a fiancé wouldn't be strange.However, the reason one hadn't been decided was that she was originally weak and couldn't go out, delaying engagements. Just as she recovered and they began looking, the problem arose: the tyrant affiliated with the Boldrinde Duke took a liking to Iris.
The Duke had heard that the man saw her, decided he wanted her, and was now deterring other interested nobles. The Duke had sworn never to give his daughter to that man, even if the heavens fell, and that was absolute.
"If that were the only reason, it would be fine. But if your standards, Sir, have now become based on Libertà, I find that rather concerning.""......""A dragon-slaying hero, who repelled skilled assassins, possesses considerable wisdom, and seems well-versed in our affairs as well. His manners need work, but for his age, his ability to interact is quite sufficient."
Furthermore, the Duke was aware that his standards for a suitor had become excessively high, to the point of being unrealistic.Noting this, but commenting on it as if it were someone else's issue, Lotus made the Duke avert his gaze slightly.
"How about this: have both young ladies marry Libertà? Libertà herself says she doesn't wish to become a noble, but she likely wouldn't oppose having their sons inherit the Dukedom, would she?""That is..."
He knew.Though not a noble, Libertà was a remarkable individual far surpassing any fiancé candidate the Duke knew of.He had valor and ample intellect.
His aversion to nobles was a slight problem, but the reason for it was understandable.
"Feasible."
The Duke momentarily considered the pros and cons of forming blood ties with such a Libertà, and concluded it could be realistically beneficial.
"...I said it jokingly, but even I must admit it's a tempting proposition."
In terms of their relationship, the Duke himself felt they were on good terms.Maintaining a respectful distance, yet considering the typical relationship between nobles and commoners in this world, theirs was an exceptionally unusual bond.
"Perhaps I'll sound out Iris on the matter later.""She's been interested in him since Lady Esmeralda's incident. However, due to repeated circumstances, she hasn't had the chance to speak with him and seems worried that Libertà might be avoiding her."
A noble incorporating commoner blood.This itself wasn't unheard of, but it was something done by barons or viscounts.For a Ducal house, bringing in commoner blood could easily be seen as a mad notion.
But for the Duke, who knew Libertà's achievements, the justification of "bringing the blood of a man chosen by the gods into the Ducal house" even crossed his mind.
The reason he wouldn't push for it was simple: he knew that if he tried, Libertà would use every bit of his cunning to escape.
"...Perhaps we should hold a dinner party when they return.""That would be best. It's better to clear up misunderstandings early on."
If that was the case, how to proceed? If public association was problematic, then fostering friendship in private was the way. A noble inviting someone to a private, rather than public, setting was proof of trust.
Whether Libertà would perceive this was up to him, but the Duke sighed, thinking he probably would understand.
In any case, it was a matter for after their return. The Duke decided to merely check if Iris wanted to meet him, leaving other discussions until he could consult with Libertà. Just as he was about to return to work, Lotus, who should have handed him the next document, kept staring intently at the letter.
"...Sir, returning to the previous topic for a moment, there is a point in this letter from Lady Esmeralda that concerns me."
He frowned, seeking confirmation from the Duke.
"What is it?"
The Duke had already reread the letter and confirmed his own questions. He recalled the text in his mind but found nothing new.Wondering if there was some hidden code, he tried applying a cipher Esmeralda knew, but no parts matched, deepening his confusion.
"This line here: 'Please look forward to the grown-up me'..."
Not understanding, he had to ask. When he did, Lotus gently held out the letter from behind, pointing to a specific sentence.
"What's strange about it? Isn't she just saying to look forward to her becoming stronger through training?"
Lotus, who also normally grasped letters in one read, had looked over this one repeatedly. He was aware he was pointing out a seemingly ordinary part, but he intended to share his concern with the Duke.
"Yes, that is likely part of the intent. But, Sir, please consider. She is training with Libertà?"
The Duke tilted his head, wondering what the problem was. Lotus realized his lord's standards were also being recalibrated by Libertà, and offered a word of caution, urging him to think (coolly).
At the noun 'Libertà,' the Duke's eyebrow twitched, and he recalled the great deeds the young man had performed.He pondered whether his daughter would return normally after training under *his* supervision and immediately shook his head, dismissing the thought.
"...Will she return having mastered some legendary skill?"That was the first possibility that came to mind—returning with unknown skills.
"Or perhaps she will return clad in unknown equipment we've never seen."Then Lotus, recalling his past feat of creating the dragon-slaying greatbow, imagined him returning with newly forged, unknown armaments.
"Both are possible.""Or perhaps she will have reached an outrageous level."
Understanding the meaning behind the caution, the Duke's face turned serious upon hearing "It's *that* Libertà we're talking about," the relaxed air from moments ago gone.He listed the immediate possibilities, and couldn't shake the feeling that any of them were entirely plausible.
"Surpassing the Marsh Dragon gear, perhaps Wind Dragon gear?""Her class might even surpass 5, reaching 6?""Is that possible? No, thinking it's *im*possible is the dangerous part.""Yes, after all, it's *that* Libertà."
It wasn't wrong, but if Libertà were here, one might have witnessed the scene of him being interrogated for a good hour about what kind of impression he gave off.
"...What are the chances Esmeralda returns with muscles surpassing our soldiers?"The Duke arrived at this outrageous notion, certain it would provoke a confrontation if uttered aloud.The image that flashed in his mind was of his daughter approaching him with a smile, saying, "Father, look what I can do now," while crushing an apple in one hand.
"I'd like to think... not.""......""No, surely even Libertà wouldn't do something that... strange."
Lotus was slightly taken aback by the Duke's wild imagination, though for a moment he too pictured a muscular Esmeralda, thinking *if it's Libertà, maybe he could*.
He tried to chide the Duke, who fell silent and began considering countermeasures for such an event, but even Lotus couldn't completely dismiss the possibility, feeling a slight fear towards Libertà himself.
"If, *if*, Esmeralda returns like that, what should I do?"
Had his lord ever seriously consulted him for such a frivolous reason before?Had he ever seen his master so unsettled by a single letter?
It started with a spirit as the messenger, a truly mysterious letter—Lotus recalled if there hadn't been a picture book with a story like this.
It was a fancy adventure story.Where a boy and a girl cheerfully overcome hardships, and in the very end, all is well that ends well, concluding with a happy ending.
"First, let us rejoice at their safe return. We can inquire about the details afterwards.""Right, of course."
He didn't know why he remembered that tale, but feeling it was fine for now, Lotus placed the documents before the Duke, as if urging him to resume work.